Catfish: The TV Show: Season 1
User Score
6.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 18
  3. Negative: 5 out of 18

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  1. Palfrei
    Apr 25, 2013
    7
    Catfish is a MTV show about online relationships; specifically, about people that pretend to be other people by the means of a fake internet persona [a catfish] to lure real persons into a friendship that usually develops itself into a love relationship.

    However the more interesting part about the show is not the catfish's true identity because one would unavoidably judge him or her fo    r being dishonest from the very beginning yet I can’t help thinking about their victims and their naivety. The fact that they do not research deeply the people with whom they have fallen in love. In some of the episodes, the victims tell that they have sustained the online relationship for more than a year without knowing personally nor on live camera the person for whom they have developed a close emotional attachment, a friendship or even love. They eventually suspect that there’s something odd with the other person and contact the show hosts to ask for their help in order to ease their suspicions and finally check whether the person they like/love truly exist or not.

    Thus it makes me wonder how far is the human being capable to go in the land of permissiveness just to get some emotional retribution that might not be honest at all in the end. Why are humans so desperate to be emotionally attached to a peer so as to tolerate elusiveness, doubts and a final and potentially absolute dishonesty? Is it desperation? One could think that the victims do not really know about the way anonymity works on the internet despite the fact that they are using it regularly to keep in touch with their catfish. If people are willing to compromise their emotional stability, which is not a small trade at all, just for the sake of feeling loved and needed by somebody that is not probably real then we could think that there is something extremely wrong going on with us; something really wrong about the ways we connect to each other in the hopes to develop emotional reciprocity. Catfish is, in its core, a show based on emotional desperation, its most relevant feature.    … Expand
  2. wesker2012
    Feb 5, 2013
    10
    Awesome show. Keep doing great shows like this MTV.
  3. DillonBudde1
    Feb 5, 2013
    2
    I believe that this show could make a few minor adjustments, and be more watched. I feel that most of it is staged though. It is definitely entertaining when they meet each other, but leading up to that seems a little too far fetched for me.
  4. AprilReign
    Feb 1, 2013
    6
    Nev Schulman is cute and has a presence that makes for a good reality star (documentary movie subject) crossover into show host/mentor/guide, with genuine charisma. I think if he didn't exhibit as much empathy for his subjects he would lose his relevance, because it's his prior experience in being "catfished" that helps him to stay grounded in the show. He's almost "too hot" for the ordinary lives that he walks into. The other thing i think bothers me is the meaning of catfish. His "catfish" a rather plain, middle-aged woman living a rather non-descript life gets her name from her husband, he likens her lying and manipulation to how a catfish put into the same boat hold that contains a fisherman's catch of the day keeps nipping at the fish, which keeps them moving and from dying. So basically something as bad as lying manipulation get a makeover into she "keeps us on our toes." Now the term seems to no longer make a connection with Angela's husband coining of the term, into the wider spread phenomenon of people who make fake facebook profiles. I wonder how many people can be tricked any longer what with the easy tool of using the reverse image look-up w/ google and how it can be performed by anyone. My final comment is, I wish someone would delve into the fake profiles where they don't seem to be anyone behind it, just more and more connections, using other people's pictures. But while they are tagged in other peoples "multi-tag"pictures, they never speak or post personal things. Just a ghost of a profile, not a real person, not even trying to be a real person. Maybe there will be mor e ways our modern technology results in tricking others. Maybe the show will have more mileage than i thought.… Expand
  5. PoliSci0621
    Jan 9, 2013
    6
    Even though "Catfish: The TV Show" is not the greatest it still does provide some interesting entertainment especially for a reality show. What makes it interesting is the whole surprise element of the show. If an episode lacks the surprise element then the episode ends up predictable and quite boring which ultimately happened in a few (episode 2, & 5). Another aspect that drives the show is obviously the people. Many of them come off delusional and quite often it feels as if they just made up these "relationships" to get on MTV. Overall, the series is okay since it does offer some surprises, but other than that it is predictable.… Expand
  6. heyitsmegrif4
    Dec 28, 2012
    3
    Some is sweet, but I get a staged feel way too much to the the point where it is annoying.
  7. niki1979
    Dec 18, 2012
    10
    So, I watched Catfish-the movie, and saw that there was going to be a TV show about that sort of thing. My first thought was "FINALLY, a reality show that's doing people a service"! I watch lots of reality shows, and although they can be entertaining, they don't reflect much on real life. I think it's great that Nev is using his own personal experience to raise awareness on the subject. People need to be more careful about who they talk to and information they share online. It's refreshing to see that even after what happened to him, and all he's seen, Nev is still an incurable optimist, and hasn't become jaded :D!… Expand
  8. benz
    Nov 17, 2012
    8
    I watched the first episode and I want Sunny to be at peace because by no means should she be embarrassed. Never have I posted a review for anything. She is an awe inspiring person by how mature her response was to the devastating situation. I was expected crying and more or less a tantrum. She is an inspiration for any female out there.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
56 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Matthew Gilbert
    Nov 12, 2012
    80
    Despite the occasional artificial reality flourish, Catfish: The TV Show is a timely, engaging, and often poignant addition to MTV's lineup.
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  2. Slate
    Reviewed by: Troy Patterson
    Nov 12, 2012
    40
    A document of cruel self-delusions, an index of unusual realities, virtually a postscript to the body of Western literature about romantic love, and an extraordinarily fine opportunity to exult in the suffering of your fellow human beings, Catfish is a TV show.
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  3. Philadelphia Daily News
    Reviewed by: Ellen Gray
    Nov 12, 2012
    40
    Schulman seems desperate to extract meaning from the situation, but this isn't "Undercover Boss": The only prize available for the deceived is the attention for which they may already have proven a little too hungry.
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